A bird of prey (family Sagittaridae), endemic to the African savannah grasslands, that spends most of its time on the ground, hunting, usually in pairs, for insects and small vertebrates including snakes and tortoises. The birds will also wait close to the edge of a fire, waiting to catch animals escaping the flames, killing smaller prey with a blow from the bill and larger prey by stamping on it. Secretary birds have long legs and stand more than 1 m tall; they have a strong, hooked bill, and head feathers reminiscent of a quill pen behind the ear of a secretary.